The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-07-23

1t required nerve, courage and stead |
fastness to overthrow Rapubiicanisn
in Louisiana, supported as it was by
the power Of the Federal government.
We have been accused of resortiny to
extreme measures to accomplish that
result. They were necessary. M:Enery
had been one of the most prominent
leaders in North Louisiana during
many years of great turbulence, and
when he became Governor he under
stood the seriousness of the race prob
lem with which the people of Louisiana
where confront ID. The people of the
North know nothing of the terrible
Significance OF that question. 1t is, in
| my judgment,
THE MOST DIFFICULT PROBLEM
that was ever submitted ,, a ,",n1,te
for solution. To b. the Il lv"..,..r IT a
State co-iuhabited by two sucn distinct
and antagonistic races requires firm
| ness and strong convictions upon the
race issue. While he has been just to
the colorcd people, the white feel as
sured that under his administration
there will be no rstrograde movement
and no relapse into miscage nation pol
itics.'
elbow did it appear, then, that your
faction, being tho dominant one, was
practically ignored by the Cleveland
administration
"That is Il mystery TO me. All l
know is we got whipped after the
hardest fight ] ever made in my life,
and l have been in good nany.
Those who co-0perated with mo know
how strenuous was our effort for recog-
milton in order that we might unity
and harmonize the Democratic party
in the State. The President was mis-
led in the State, and the result is we
have two factions bitterly opposed to
each other. AS much as we deptore
the fact, our faction did everything in
their power to avert this fac,ional cons
tention."
'sIt has been stated in northern pa-
pers that your faction will control the
next convention, and will send an anti
Cleveland delegation to the national
nominating convention, and that you
sympathize with that movement. Is
that true?''
"That our faction will control the
next convention have no doubt what.
over, but that we will send an anti,
Cleveland delegation is simply non
sense. The Reform Democracy arc
trying to create that impression and to
use the Cleveland administration to
bolster up this defeated faction in the
State contest. If they imagine that
the President, who clearly understands
this proceeding, couutanances such
personal use of his administration can
tell them that they make a serious
mistake.
OUR STATE FIGHT
has no relation 10 or connection with
the presidential question:"
, "An then, to understand that you
Gre in favor of the Democratic State
Convention sending Cleveland dele
cation TO the next nominating conven-
t;on:"
= 'I am and 80 are my friends with
whom l have conferred. The reasons
, are perfectly obvious. a few weeks
ago in Louisiana we discussed the
, question. At that time l had not seen
President Cleveland for some time. and
we did not know then whether this
, estrangement which the reform party
had succeeded in producing was to
continue. On our side we had no re-
sentiments. We had no need of help
from the administration, and were
confident OF success without its aid, but
the question presented itself, what was
: our duty as Democrats, for we have
always proved by our record that the
success of the Democratic party is the
, paramount consideration with us. We
arc not sunshine Democrats, but have
always been on deck when summoned
by duty to our party. l have differed
+ with the President upon questions of
, administrative policy, aud still with
him, but those differences of opinion
, sink into insignificancc when we are
called upon to face our common en-
envy, the Republican party
, "Then you consider Cleveland is the
strongest man the Democrats can nom
inate?'
"Unquestionab'y The Democratic
party, in my opinion, would stu!tify
itself by refusing to renominata Prcsi-
dent Cleveland, They made him their
leader by electing him to the Prcsi-
dency. BY virtue of his position he
has had 10 assume all the Responsibilities
ties Of acknowledged leadership. His
course has been independent. his views
strongly personal, and he has stamped
{ his individuality upon the policy of
his administration. These traits, I'M
der. ordinary circumstances, would
have destroyed the popularity of a
President. 1t has caused considerable
, friction in his own party, but he has